THE opening of a new discotheque at Botley, Oxford, brought plenty of smiles.

Youngsters who claimed there was nothing to do in the evenings, suddenly found themselves dancing to the latest pop tunes.

And two well-known disc jockeys, Mike Raven, of Radio One, and Mick Murphy, of Radio City, were there to help launch the new venture.

The picture, taken at Elms Court on the opening night in June 1969, shows Murphy with some of the 400 young people who attended.

The discotheque had been given the go-ahead by Abingdon Rural District Council after an approach by the promoters, Baron Da Costa and Jonathan Grendon.

Mr Grendon told the Oxford Mail at the time: “It seems to be quite a new thing for Oxford. I know of only one other, which is for members only.”

At the start, discotheques were held on Thursday evenings, but it was planned to run them on other nights if they proved popular.

Mr Da Costa was clearly determined to make the evenings a success and to avoid trouble.

He warned: “We have six bouncers – and I have a nose for drugs.”

Teenagers who attended the first night were full of enthusiasm.

One of them, Pauline Dix, 14, of Cumnor, said: “I came here with friends. It is the only discotheque I go to, apart from one at Cumnor once a month.”

The only disappointment of the night was that six Go-Go girls, who were billed to appear, were involved in a road accident on the M1 on their way to Botley.

Four of them were taken to Northampton General Hospital to be treated for their injuries after a tyre on their Dormobile burst and the vehicle toppled over.

The two uninjured girls made it to Botley, but instead of gold-spangled costumes, had to wear their travelling clothes – jumpers and trousers.